The Bounce Effect: How ‘Stranger Things’ Sets Up Its Characters

The second season of Netflix‘s critically acclaimed hit Stranger Things” is just around the corner. Following its showing at this year’s Emmys, the hype could not be more palpable, whether the show is brought up in conversation or new aspects of the series are revealed online. There is no denying the Duffer Brothers have created a huge hit for the streaming service. Whether you love it or loathe it, “Stranger Things” has made an impression when it comes to configuring nostalgia, storyline, and character arcs in faultless fashion.

A show this ambitious would have, very possibly, fallen by the wayside had it not been for the performances of the actors and simultaneous power of the characters. Through their writing, The Duffer Brothers introduce characters we are able to engage with in just one scene. In a video essay by Karsten Runquist, major characters are broken down to reveal their most identifiable qualities when in relation to one another. Through what Runquist calls the “character bounce” effect, the interactions that play out on screen between the major characters give audiences inclinations as to who these people are at their core.

Breaking down the opening scene when Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Will are playing Dungeons and Dragons, this “character bounce” effect plays out so we are able to see the most dominant qualities of the boys. Mike, as the dungeon master in the scene, is calling the shots, revealing key elements that move the game forward, if unexpectedly. We see Mike do this time and again throughout the season even though the stakes are greater than a board game. Within this 45 second scene, viewers would be able to note that, similar to what is revealed with Mike, we see how easily agitated and more casual with insults and language Dustin is (setting him up as comic relief), Lucas produces reactions that are both passionate and urgent, and Will is left at the direction of his friends. Will’s quality, in turn, sets up the entire premise for the first season: the quest for the boys to save Will.

The Duffer Brothers have made memorable characters and produced great moments from season one. Using conflict in dialogue as a point to reveal the inner workings of the large ensemble of characters. Foregoing the necessity for structured backstory, audiences are thrown into the world of 1980s Hawkins, Indiana. With season two sustaining the original cast of characters, seeing how The Duffer Brothers use this same style with new additions to the company may be a gamble for the intricate style the show has created. We’ll have to wait and see until we return to the Upside Down.